Antique Italian Carriage Axle, Sicily, circa 1820

This pair of large oak boiserie elements were carved in Normandy, France, circa 1880. Boiserie is the French term for “woodwork”, but the phrase is genera...

A beautiful plaster architectural from the late 1800s, depicting a female mascaron surmounting a highly scrolled coat of arms shield. The young wom...

Found in a chateau in Loriol du Comtat, in the Provence region of France, this large-scale plaster sculpture is signed and dated by the artist, making it a rare find. Originally part of a boiserie containing a fireplace, the sculpture decorated the main hall of the chateau. The artist, Marius Sain, created the piece for the owners of the chateau in 1914. The lovely depiction of a shepherdess and her flock is a fitting subject for an area of France in which shepherding is such an important part of the culture. The preserved heritage of transhumance in Provence goes back at least 800 years, as evidenced by collections of ancient songs, stories, and art. Life-size in scale, the lovely sculpture features a mix of high-, mid-, and low-relief embellishments. A hooded shepherdess tends to her flock of sheep with a crook in hand. A dog sits calmly at her feet as the flock gathers in front of them. Both the shepherdess and the dog are in high relief, as is the lead sheep. The lamb seen suckling from the front sheep was crafted in mid relief, as is the visible head on the far right of the sculpture. There are a few sheep behind them in low relief. Large trees can be seen on either side of the group, while off in the background (faintly visible) are a castle with four fastigiate Mediterranean cypress trees (known as Stricta) and a spired church. The attention to detail is magnificent, with textured surfaces including the animals’ fur and the uneven ground. A previous owner (recently) had an iron and limestone stand created for displaying purposes. The cream-colored limestone has been cut into three pieces and is inset into the six-legged iron frame. Block print on the plaster can be seen just above the edge of the stand. The letters read Le Soir, which is French for “The Night”. The right side of the sculpture has been signed “M Sain 1914”. Marius Joseph Sain was born in 1877 in Avignon, France. In 1902, Sain moved to Paris to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Through introductions by his older brother and painter, Paul...

The reign of Napoleon III, often referred to as “The Second Empire”, featured an amalgamation of styles from previous regimes, ranging from the light and airy Rococo of Louis XV to the more stoic Neoclassical trophies of Louis XVI. Our painted giltwood overdoor from circa 1850 is in the vein of a Regence or Louis XV adaptation of the Napoleon III period. The piece is adorned with flowing motifs inspired by nature, such as the curled leaves, scalloped shell, and deep carvings seen on the overdoor. A main principle of Napoleon III furnishings was to utilize every inch available, as noted by the gadrooned leaf and rinceaux that emanate from behind the center medallion, forming a sprawling border. The medallion features an amazing high relief carving of a floral bouquet surrounded by curled leaves with scrolled tendrils and raised, asymmetrical panels. At the top is a scalloped shell, which is mimicked by a pair of parted leaves set at an angle in each of the upper corners. All of the carvings are presented in giltwood, which pairs nicely with the cream colored background that is enveloped in a quarter round molding (also gilded). The entire grouping is presented as a raised carving, with a thin board behind it that has tas de sable (sandpit) pilasters topped with block finials flanking the overdoor. Unique to most other antique overdoors...

Hand-carved around 1870 from French oak, this plaque was originally intended to function as a ceiling medallion, most likely for a themed boiserie room. The walls of the room would h...

After Napoleon came to power in the early 19th century, France resumed the expansionist policy enjoyed by the First French Colonial Empire after the 16th century. The Napoleon-led ov...

American hanging Apothecary show globe with a mounted cast iron painted and gilded eagle. Globe was filled with a colorful green or red liquid to...

A stunning and rare pair of antique architectural fragments with wings and serpents' tails French or Italian, circa late 18th century...

An impressively large mottled 'verde prato' serpentine socle of turned columnar form, rising from a stepped base to a flattened plateau above a cavetto-shaped edge. In relation to it...

Hand curved Art Nouveau white marble bust of a young woman. Her elaborate hat framing a beautiful face. The style of clothing of the late 19th century Art Nouveau period. The bust rest on a round marble pedestal...

Africa, 2 decorative elements in polychrome wood around 1950.

Neoclassical style building element in the neoclassical taste. Having scrolling design with fleur de lis finials. This item comes with two detached pineapple form finials. Great to u...